Electron deficient metalloporphyrins are efficient catalysts for the highly selective air oxidation of light alkanes to alcohols, P. E. Ellis and J. E. Lyons, Cat. Lett., 3, 389, 1989; J. E. Lyons and P. E. Ellis, Catt. Lett., 8, 45, 1991; Lyons and Ellis, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,900,871; 4,970,348, as well as for efficient decomposition of alkyl hydroperoxides, Lyons and Ellis, J. Catalysis, 141, 311, 1993; Lyons and Ellis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,886. They may be prepared by the co-condensation of pyrrole with the appropriate aldehyde, Badger, Jones and Leslett, Aust. J. Chem., 17, 1029, 1964; Lindsey and Wagner, J. Org. Chem., 54, 828, 1989; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,970,348 and 5,120,882, followed by metal insertion, Adler, Longo, Kampos and Kim, J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 32, 2443, 1970, and .beta.-halogenation, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,892,941 and 4,970,348. Other patents disclosing use of metal coordination complex catalysts in oxidation of alkanes are Ellis et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,895,680 and 4,895,682.
Meso-tetrakis(perhaloalkyl)porphyrins, for example meso-tetra(trifluoromethyl)porphyrin, have been prepared by the self-condensation of the corresponding 2-hydroxy(perhalo-alkyl)pyrrole by prior activation of the hydroxy leaving group, Wijesekera, U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,062.
t-Butyl alcohol has been prepared by the catalytic decomposition of t-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP), preferably in solution in t-butyl alcohol, in the presence of a metal phthalocyanine of a metal of Group IB, Group VIIB or Group VIIIB, for example chloroferric phthalocyanine and rhenium heptoxide-p-dioxane or oxotrichloro-bis(triphenylphosphine) rhenium, Sanderson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,349.
t-Butylhydroperoxide may be decomposed to t-butyl alcohol using a metal porphine catalyst, for example tetraphenylporphine, optionally promoted with a thiol and a heterocyclic amine, Sanderson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,034, or using an imidazole-promoted phthalocyanine (PCY) catalyst, for example Fe(III)PCYCl or Mn(II)PCY or VOPCY, Sanderson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,912,266.
Isobutane may be converted continuously to isobutyl alcohol by a process including the step of deomposing t-butylhydroperoxide to t-butyl alcohol, using a monocyclic solvent and a PCY decomposition catalyst, Marquis et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,602.
t-Butylhydroperoxide may be decomposed to t-butyl alcohol using a metal porphine catalyst such as a trivalent Mn or Fe tetraphenylporphine, optionally promoted with an amine or thiol, or a soluble Ru catalyst promoted with a bidentate ligand such as Ru(AcAc).sub.3 promoted with bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine, or a promoted PCY catalyst such as a Mn, Fe or vanadyl PCY promoted with an amine, a Re compound such as NH.sub.4 ReO.sub.4, a mercaptan and a free radical inhibitor, a base or a metal borate, Derwent Abstract (Week 8912, Other Aliphatics, page 58) of reference 89-087492/12 (EP 308-101-A).
Hydroperoxides may be decomposed with metal ligand complexes in which hydrogen in the ligand molecule has been substituted with electron-withdrawing elements or groups, for example halogen or nitro or cyano group, Lyons et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,886, which is incorporated by reference herein,